Leadership: The Power of Values in Decision-Making

Take two directors who came up through the same company. They went through the same leadership program and earned the same certifications. They even drew on the same whiteboards. Yet, a year into running their own divisions, they lead in completely different ways.

We often reach for easy explanations. One has more natural talent. The other has the right personality. One simply found their style. However, none of these explanations hold up under scrutiny. The skills are identical, and the training was the same. The real difference lies in one crucial aspect: what each of them reaches for when the moment gets tough.

The Role of Values in Leadership

This selection mechanism operates on values.

A skill is an instrument. Giving feedback, making decisions, holding boundaries, and changing course are all tools that leaders can learn to use effectively. Leadership development typically focuses on expanding this toolkit, providing individuals with more instruments and greater range. However, what often goes unaddressed is the hand that chooses which instrument to pick up and when. That hand is guided by values.

Consider a real decision-making scenario. A deadline is looming, and the team is already stretched thin. One director prioritizes the well-being of the team and renegotiates the deadline. The other director prioritizes the commitment and asks the team for more effort. Both have access to the same information and toolkit, yet they make opposite choices. The difference? One values sustainability, while the other values reliability. Under pressure, it’s the value that takes control.

Understanding Leadership Styles

This is why a style test can describe you but still miss the mark. A style reflects an average of your tendencies across various situations, much like a batting average for a baseball season. Averages are useful, but no pitch has ever been hit with one. The leadership moment in front of you is always a specific pitch. What you do with it is determined in the moment by what you value most when faced with competing goods.

Leaders worth studying are not those with the largest toolbox. A wide range without a selection mechanism can lead to inconsistency. The leaders who feel coherent—those whose teams can predict their responses under stress—have a clear, articulated set of values guiding their choices. Their signature isn’t the number of tools they possess; it’s the order in which their values prompt them to use those tools.

Developing Your Leadership Values

You can cultivate this awareness. Here are three steps to get started:

1. Identify Your Core Values: Name the three values that truly emerge when you are under pressure and pressed for time. These should not be the aspirational values on a poster, but the ones revealed during your last challenging week.

   
   

2. Explore Value Conflicts: Find instances where two of these values have clashed. Identify a real situation where they were in conflict. The value that prevailed in that moment is your signature, whether you consciously chose it or not.

   
   

3. Observe Your Decision-Making: Pay attention to your choices. During your next difficult decision, pause and ask yourself which value just influenced your tool selection. Many leaders have never named this value, yet it has been guiding their actions all along.

   
   

Skill sets the ceiling. Values set the direction. Colligent Leadership is an approach that develops both aspects and makes the latter explicit. A full toolbox becomes effective leadership only when you understand which value is making the choices. The toolbox is learnable; the signature is uniquely yours.

The Bigger Picture

This concept is at the heart of a theory I’m developing openly. The deeper argument can be explored at azmth.co/the-theory. Each week, I delve into the methodology behind it—Operate, Navigate, Communicate—on the AZMTH and Colligent Leader Substacks.

In conclusion, understanding the interplay between skills and values is crucial for effective leadership. By recognizing and articulating your values, you can enhance your decision-making process and lead with greater coherence and confidence. Embrace the journey of self-discovery and watch as your leadership style evolves.